in Beaumont......

Hi everybody,

We are in Beaumont TX in a kitchen that serves about 7-8000 meals a day.
It has been a great experience so far...very busy, hard work but wellllll worth it.
We have been blessed with wonderful people to work with and it is not too hot!!!!
the church here has quite aset up and we are VERY pampered here like I've never been pampered.
They do our laundry and we have AC(PTL!, we have a shower unit with hot water and we are done about 3:00 everyday.
We are working with people from TX, MT, NJ, NY, really all over.
It's awesome!!!!
Please pray for my friend Jeremie from Americorps youth as he is being pursued by the Lord like crazy and he is asking alot of questions and we are just ministering to him.
I totally feel your prayers, thank you, really everything has just gone so well.
I miss ya'll madly.
I'll get on when I can(there is always quite a line!!!) and keep you up to date.

;0)

?????????????

OK, I think we are finally leaving today??? or tomorrow????
We will be serving in Beaumont, TX in a "mega-kitchen" that puts out 80,000 meals a day!!!!!!
Beaumont is about 20 miles from Galveston so it is right in the middle of the devastation. Con told me that JIB shut down 250 stores in that area because of the storm.
Please pray for me that I will be a blessing to all those around me and pray that God gives me the strength to do His work for His glory.
Thank you.
See you in 2 weeks.

;0)

my Mary moments....

I was reading in Hebrews yesterday when I came across a passage that really spoke to me.
It is found in Hebrews 3:12-13:

"Beware, brethern, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

In my commentary it talked about how UNBELIEF is a grave sin because it leads us away from God.
How many times do we see brothers and sister in Christ struggling with unbelief and we go about our own business and refuse to treat them in the biblical manner that God has shown us.
"..but exhort one another daily, while it is call Today.....
My friends I believe we are missing the boat when we miss an opportunity to speak Truth in Love to those around us who are struggling with unbelief because the bible says it is a grave sin and we need to treat it as such.
I was also reading my notes from the sermon and I always write down the scripture references and then study them later.
So in my notes I had written 2 Cor. 11 and I went on to read the whole passage.
I came to verses 22-28 and they stopped me in my tracks, so to speak.
Paul was speaking, of course, and relaying how much suffering he had endured for Christ; He spoke about how the Jews had scourged him 5 times, he was caned, stoned, thrice shipwrecked and left in the water for an entire day, he was robbed, threatened, he was often weary and hungry, he often went without sleep, he was cold, and imprisoned.
But it was verse 28 that slayed me: "beside the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches."
I looked up concern in the dictionary: "a. marked interest or regard usu. arising through a personal tie or relationship. b. an uneasy state of blended interest, uncertainty, and apprehension."
I had to ask myself; do I feel genuine concern for our church and if so, is it more because I feel personally connected to the people there and therefore have a concern for their well-being?
Or, is it concern that is based in uncertainty and apprehension because I can identify specific problems in our church and I feel a definate frustration that we are NOT relevant in our communities and therefore we are possibly not an effective church.
I am still processing it all and I am really seeking God's face in this.
On the one hand I see the example that Paul displayed and I am ruined, I mean, look what he endured and yet, look where his heart was. On the other hand, I DO feel great CONCERN for our church and my greatest desire is to see how God continually renews us and shows us His vision for our church.
I want to be a servant for the Lord who endures "suffering" with a smile and I want to sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leading. I pray that God will give me a heart of genuine concern for His church especially when we encounter "grave sin" in our midst.
Aren't you glad that we have a heavenly Father who never gives up on us???
I sure am....

uuuhhh....

You know that sound that a balloon makes when you let the air out?????
That is precisely the sound that is going on in my head becasue we just got the word that we are on "stand down" until further notice.
Gosh, and I was so packed and everything....
Oh well......it's all good.

update....

Hi everyone!
I'm still here at least until tomorrow and I'm packed and ready to go!!!!
Sounds like we'll be serving in San Antonio at a shelter there for evacuees from all over.
It was funny to me that I got a email from Gary Floyd this am suggesting to the teams that we be properly hydrated BEFORE we go on this trip and it was one of those "HOLY DUH" moments for me.
In all the hustle and bustle of planning and packing have I been quenching my thirst by spending time at the feet of Jesus where He will sustain me and he will carry me through the next 2 weeks?????
I've had some "Martha moments" and now it is time for some "Mary moments".
"Father, forgive me for trying to do it all in my own strength. Thank you for never giving up on this silly servant and thank you for what you have done in my life and what you will do."

BYE BYE....

Just a quick note:

I found out yesterday that a Disaster team of 30 was needed to go down to Texas to help in relief efforts.
As of today there is only about 16 who are going from the state.
We are leaving tomorrow for a 14 day stint on a feeding station.
As you know, God has been refining me by asking me to give my very best to Him in all things, including the mundane things of life.
And so, I have risen to the challenge this last week and guess what?
I am totally prepared to go!!!
I had a two day notice to go on a 14 day trip and I had most things taken care of around the house that made it possible for me to even consider this trip.
Did anyone notice the sign at church???
It said something like giving our best to the Lord!!!!!!
It is amazing How God prepared me for such a time as this.
Please pray that we impact that community in a positive manner. Please pray that I can connect with lost and hurting people and point them to Jesus.
I love you and will miss you greatly.

p.s. I'm a little nervous about the length of the trip. please pray that God will fill me up in such a way that I won't be terribly homesick on day 11, 12, 13 AND 14.

Here's an article about Carol and her illness featured in Seattle:

http://www.komonews.com/news/28125714.html

The family over here is having a fund raiser yard sale the 19th and 20th and they are asking for donations of baked goods and yard sale items.
If you are interested in helping or have items for the sale, let me know and I can pick them up.
Please continue to pray for Carol sight to be restored and also she is terrified to go home where she will be totally dependent on a nurse.
Thanks girls.

I loved the Sunday morning message!
Tory was talking about how we must look at our weaknesses more instead of our strengths because through our weaknesses God is glorified!!!!
I am sensing a theme in my life: God is showing me my weaknesses and He wants me to change them so that he can bless others through me.
Here's an example:
I love to do yard work.
I could do yardwork all day long all week long and twice on Sundays(JK!).
Seriously, I love communing with nature and dirt and ...stuff and it is some really sweet time of worship for me.
Housework, on the other hand...not so much.
I am a survival housecleaner: I clean when someone's comin' over.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a pig cuz I like things neat and tidy but don't do the white glove thing cuz it will be brown.
All this to say: I don't invite people to my house spontaneously because I would be embarrassed that it was dirty and so, we miss out on fellowshipping with friends and neighbors.
Not good.
Here's another example:
I am not so good at follow through, in fact, you could say I'm a bit flaky.
Because I love to fly by the seat of my pants and I actually thrive on that frenetic energy, it is difficult to make plans in advance and actually see them through because by the time it gets there, I want to do something else, or I just plain don't want to do it anymore.
That is weakness...not good because I want to be a good example for my daughters and I should "do all things as unto the Lord".. that is to give my best at all times.
The problem with this flakiness is when you are a part of a, let's say a body of believers, that people will overlook you and look at someone who is good at following through and maybe this person is overwhelmed with life and what am I doing to bless that person and ease their load?????
I should find my reputation above reproach so that I can more effectively be a servant to my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Anyway, that is what God is talking to me about and sunday morning was such an affirmation of that.
Thank you friends for loving me AND my warts and thank you for challenging me to give my best in all things not just in the fun or easy things.
God is good...all the time.

;0)

Happy Birthday Vada!

Here are before pics of Vada's room.....






and the after pics......

a fresh start....

We started school today and it went really great for a first day.
We are all organized and prepared for the year ahead.
I have most of my ducks in-a-row except for submitting my SLP which totally daunts me, but, after talking to Jill I realize I have it REALLY easy so I will just do it and not worry about it.
Lacey started her new math program which is Consumer Math instead of the Incredibly-cruel-torment-anguish and pain that algebra 2 would have brought into this house.
Anyway, after 3 years of her crying,"what does math have to do with life?" I decided to find math that was relevant to life.
It's similar to consumer economics, in that it teaches how to budget a household, house to buy a car, how to use credit cards responsibly, how to buy a house; how it is NOT like consumer ec is she will Not have a "husband" or a " pregnancy" to deal with.
I thank the Lord for the small things.
Nevada was happy this year to have new books that were not hand-me-downs from Lace.
Again, I thank the Lord for the small things.
Have an awesome week everyone and remember...the Republican National Convention started tonight so the next time I see you we'll have something to talk about.
(right, like we need to have a topic to have something to talk about-ha!)